Sharon Ruffle Dress

The Sharon is an effortless throw-on-and-enjoy-your-life staple that will be treasured for seasons to come. Featuring a high neck and a loose silhouette with a twirl-worthy ruffle, this is *the* dress to wear to romanticize every day of your life. 

DRESS SPECIFICS:

• Cotton
• Machine wash cold, delicate cycle. Hang dry.

Due to the nature of hand block printing, print and color may vary from piece-to-piece, and placement of print may not always be exact as everything is handmade and human error does occur. This enhances the artistic nature of hand block printing.

Sizing:

• XS/S: Chest (37.6"); Armhole (18.5"); Total Length (44.8")
• M/L: Chest (40.4"); Armhole (20.8"); Total Length (45.6")
• XL: Chest (42.8"); Armhole (22"); Total Length (46.2")

Block printed in Bagru, India.

What makes the block printing in Bagru different from other regions? Every piece is naturally dyed. 

TO PREPARE FABRIC FOR BLOCK PRINTING

Hurda water is used to prepare all fabric for printing and is therefore, always kept ready.  It is made by mixing Hurda Plant Powder in cold water and is then stored for 2 days after which the water is strained in muslin cloth.  

After it is strained, the fabric is dried in sunlight, dipped in Hurda water and dried again. 

MAKING OF BASIC NATURAL DYES

Black Color: A drum is filled with water, approximately 50 l. and 2 kg. of Jaggery. A horse shoe is heated up at high temperatures and then cooled off. Once it is cool, it is put into the jaggery water, creating a thick liquid which is the black dye.

Red Color: The red dye is made out of a fine powder called Alum, also called Phatkari. 2 kg. of alum powder is added to 5 l. of water. After, a cluster bean seeds are crushed into a powder and then added to the alum powder/mixture. This paste created is the red dye.  

Mustard Color: Tamarind seeds are crushed into a powder of which, 1 kg. powder is mixed into 3 l. water. The mixture is cooked until it becomes a paste. 25 g. of red stone powder (stone available in Jaipur) is added to the paste, creating the mustard dye.

Indigo Color:  A mixture of 10 kg. black mud (kaali mitti), 2.5 kg. infected wheat, 3 kg. limestone powder and 10-20 l. of water; These are mixed using the artists' feet since more force results in a richer color. The amount of water used depends on how rich the color is desired. Indigo leaves available in Udaipur and Jaipur are fermented in water and then added to the mixture.

The fabric is hand block printed using the above main colors. After printing, the fabric is washed in cold water, dried and then boiled in hot water. During boiling, tamarind flower is added to the water. The fabric is then dried and dipped in Hurda water for final rinse. 

The print is not visible until after the the fabric goes through the final wash, rinse and drying cycle.  

Learn more about the hand block printing process, and why it makes each piece so special here.